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Shades of Orange Glow in Luscious Bowls of Rich Pumpkin Soup

If there ever was a color that radiates autumn, it’s orange. Amid landscapes awash in fields of pumpkins and trees bursting with the gift of brilliantly colored leaves, the great outdoors says fall. And, whether you love the color orange, or hate it, there’s no denying that no matter where you look this time of the year, you’re going to spot something orange, particularly at the market. The brightest of the bright can be found in winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and, of course, oranges. Research claims that the color orange — the passionate balance between the fire of red and the luminance of yellow — glows with warmth and energy They also say that orange stimulates activity and promotes socialization, making any food the color orange fun to serve to folks gathered for a meal, especially in the form of soup. While pumpkin alone would be sufficient to create a deeply colored soup, using the aforementioned carrots and sweet potatoes not only deepens the hue, but also contributes dimension to the taste. Add the sweetness of an apple, the zest of orange peel, along with the fragrant spice of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, and you’ve created a meal jam-packed with fall flavor and aroma. In case you haven’t yet figured it out, I love the color orange. It’s brilliant, it’s electrifying, and best of all — delicious.

Sue Ade is a syndicated food writer with broad experience and interest in the culinary arts. She has worked and resided in the Lowcountry of South Carolina since 1985 and may be reached at kitchenade@yahoo.com.

Tie cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and orange peel in a piece of cheesecloth and set aside. Melt butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the onions until translucent, about 15 minutes. Stir garlic, pumpkin, carrots, potato and apple, cooking 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth, curry powder and cayenne, stirring to combine. Drop cheesecloth with spices into the pot. Simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are very soft. When vegetables are cooked, remove cheesecloth from pot and purée mixture with an immersion-type blender, or in batches in a standard blender. Stir cream into soup, if using, and garnish with fried sage leaves, croutons and fresh cracked peppercorns. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Heat oil to a temperature of 350 degrees. When oil is hot, place a few leaves in the oil, being sure not to crowd. The leaves will immediately sizzle. Cook for about 1 minute, then turn leaves over to cook another 30 seconds, or so. Do not allow leaves to over brown. Drain on paper towels and use immediately. *Kitchen Ade Note: Be sure leaves are completely dry before frying. Any moisture will cause hot oil to splatter.

Herbes de Provence CroutonsRecipe source: King Arthur Flour (www.kingarthuflour.com)Herbs de Provence Croutons will keep a month or more in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for up to six months. 8 to 9 cups cubed bread (crusts off), partially stale2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon garlic oil1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment. Combine the oils, salt and Herbs de Provence and toss with the bread cubes. Spread a single layer of bread cubes on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the croutons for 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so. When done, they’ll be a light golden brown and crunchy all the way through. Remove them from the oven, then let them cool completely on the pan.

Yield: 6 to 7 cups croutons.

Dinner in a Pumpkin or Squash

Reader Recipe

Peninsula Clarion reader Beth Reiter shares a family recipe for “Dinner in a Pumpkin or Squash,” a fun dishshe likes to make with ground moose meat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a 3-inch opening in the stem end of the pumpkin (like you would for making a jack-o-lantern), reserving the top piece. Remove seeds and pulp. Brown ground meat, adding onion, celery, and mushrooms; cook until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and spoon into pumpkin. Lightly grease a 10-inch circle in the center of a baking sheet. Place filled pumpkin on greased pan. Bake 1 hour, or until pumpkin is tender. To serve, spoon meat filling, along with some of the cooked pumpkin, onto plates.